Monday, July 5, 2010

The New York Knicks and Amaré Stoudemire are close to a guaranteed maximum five-year deal. The 27-year-old center is a free agent after opting out of the last year of his contract with the Phoenix Suns, where he has played during his whole career as a professional since 2002. Last year, Stoudemire averaged 23.1 points and 8.9 rebounds per game.

UPDATE: The deal is complete. Amaré will be signed to a five-year, around $100 million contract

While waiting for landing Juan Pedro Gutiérrez from the Spanish league, Obras Sanitarias continues completing the roster. The new signing is William McFarlan, who arrives from Unión de Sunchales. The 33-year-old American forward averaged 15.5 points and 6.9 rebounds per game last season.

Besiktas Cola Turka is interested in two players recently released by Efes Pilsen: Charles Smith and Preston Shumpert, through legal problems with their former team could delay the transfer operation. Other players on the radar of Besiktas are Nerim Yücel, from Mersin Buyuksehir, and Ismail Çevik, from Aliaga Petkim (former player of Besiktas from 2001 to 2003).

Gran Canaria 2014 is looking for young player to complete the roster, and could be eyeing Mamadou Samb. The 20-year-old Spanish-Senegalese forward played last season in the LEB Oro league for CB Cornellà, the afiliated team of Regal Barcelona, averaging 12.4 points and 6.1 rebounds per game.

Ironi Ashkelon could be close to land Erez Markovic for the next season. The 31-year-old center started last season in Maccabi Rishon-Lez, to move on February to Hapoel Holon. Markovic averaged 4.1 points and 2.1 rebounds per game for his last team in the Israeli Super League.

As expected, The Boston Celtics have announced officially that the NBA franchise has signed Semih Erden. The Turkish 23-year-old center was reported to have reached to an agreement with the Celtics days ago. Erden, who has played for Fenerbahce since 2005, averaged 8.2 points and 5.1 rebounds per game last season.

VEF Riga has a new coach, Rimas Kurtinaitis, and now wants new players. Kaspars Berzins, who has completed an unsuccesful season in Spain, could be one of the targets of the Latvian team. The 24-year-old forward, signed by Baloncesto Fuenlabrada last summer, finished the season on loan for the Spanish LEB Oro team Cáceres 2016. On the other hand, another player on the radar of VEF Riga, the 31-year-old Latvian center, Kaspars Kambala, who played last season for Enisey Krasnoyarsk, could finally accept an offer to sign for a Chinese team.

A third club is also in the fight for Vassilis Spanoulis, besides Olympiakos and his team since days ago Panathinaikos. According to the Greek media, the Russian team would be also in talks to sign the 27-year old Greek guard, and could be a reason of the delay in his final decision. On the other hand, Real Madrid is not anymore in the mix to sign Spanoulis.

Azovmash Mariupol could be the next team in the career of Daniel McClintock. The 33-year-old American center left MBC Mylokaiv a month ago due to familiar reasons, but could be back to Ukraine for the next season with the current champion. Last season, McClintock averaged 18.6 points and 7.8 rebounds per game.

In a public statement, Nikola Pekovic has announced officially that he's leaving Panathinaikos to play for the Minnesota Timberwolves in the NBA after two seasons in the Greek team. The 24-year-old Montenegrin center, who averaged 14.3 points and 3.8 rebounds per game in the last Euroleague, reached to a three-year, $13 million agreement last week with the Timberwolves.

Another new player for the Walter Tigers. The German team has signed Ruben Spoden to a two-year contract. The 21-year-old forward arrives to the team based in Tübingen from Erdgas Ehingen Urpspringschule, after averaging 14.8 points and 5.1 rebounds per game in the last German ProB League.

As expected, VEF Riga and Rimas Kurtinaitis have verbally reached to a deal. The Lithuanian 50-year-coach will be signed soon to take over the Latvian team. Kurtinaitis, who was in charge of Lietuvos Rytas last season before being released a month ago, will replace the former coach Donaldas Kairys in VEF Riga.

As expected, Jaka Klobucar is the new signing for Partizan. The 22-year-old Slovenian guard was signed to a three-year contract by the Serbian team. Klobucar arrives to Partizan after two seasons playing for Union Olimpija, averaging 11.9 points and 4.2 assists per game in the last Slovenian league.

Lukas Bradzauskis is no longer player of Lietuvos Rytas after three years. The Lithuanian team has decided to terminate the contract of the 21-year-old forward. Bradzauskis was sent on loan last January to the affiliated team of Lietuvos Rytas, Perlas, averaging 8.5 points and 4.1 rebounds per game in the last LKL.

Vincent Hunter is back to Ferro-ZNTU. Despite being released days ago by the Ukrainian club, the 25-year-old American forward has agreen to re-sign with Ferro-ZNTU and continue another season in the team. Hunter, who landed in Ferro-ZNTU last season, averaged 13.2 points and 7.1 rebounds per game in the last Ukrainian Super League.

The agency of Ivan Maras has announced that the Montenegrin 23-year-old center will play for Hemofarm. The Serbian team has signed Maras to a two-year contract. The former player of Budocnost finished last season in Metalac, averaging 13.4 points and 5.9 rebounds per game in the last Serbian Super League.

Jorge Garbajosa could have an option to play again in Italy. The 32-year-old Spanish foward could leave Real Madrid, where he's playing since last summer, despite having another year of contract. Besides Cajasol, another team that could be interested in landing Garbajosa is Armani Jeans Milano. Garbajosa already played in Italy for Benetton Treviso between 2000 and 2004. On the other hand, Chris Monroe, who played last season for Armani Jeans Milano, could be on the radar in Enel Brindisi, besides the interest of Sutor Montagranaro.

One of the best players of the National Super League (the Israel second divison) will play for Hapoel Jerusalem. The Israeli team has signed Amit Simhon to a three-year contract. The 21-year-old forward averaged 19.9 points and 5.3 rebounds per game last season for Maccabi Hod Hasharon.

Ángel Vassallo is back to France. The 24-year-old Puerto Rican forward, who was recently on the radar of Virtus Bologna, was signed to a one-year contract by ASVEL Villeurbanne. Vassallo averaged 17.8 points and 4.3 rebounds per game in the last LNB for Paris Levallois, before moving to Puerto Rico to play the last stages of the BSN league for the Gallitos de Isabela.

Air Avellino is interested for two new players for the next season. The Italian team is interested in Jesse Young and Je'Kel Foster. Young played last season for Banca Tercas Teramo, averaging 6.2 points and 3.9 rebounds per game in the last Lega A, while Foster, who was released days ago by EWE Baskets Oldenburg posted 13.0 points and 5.7 assists in the last BBL.

The interest for Furkan Aldemir keeps growing. Besides Galatasaray, the 19-year-old Turkish center is also on the radar of Fenerbahce, also looking for landing the young prospect. Fenerbahce has offered Pinar Karsiyaka, the team where Aldemir is playing since 2007, to send it back next season on loan. Aldemira averaged 7.8 points and 7.9 rebounds per game in the last TBL.

Despite the early interest of Olin Gençlik to land Murat Kaya, the 25-year-old guard will finally play for Bornova next season. Kaya has played during the last four seasons for Galatasaray, averaging 4.2 points and 2.0 rebounds per game in the last Turkish league. Previously, Kaya played for Büyük Kolej.

Jaycee Carroll won't play next season for another European team. The 27-year-old guard has reached to an agreement with his current team, Gran Canaria 2014, to cancel the leaving clause to another European team in his contract. Carroll, who was on the radar of Virtus Bologna and Unics Kazan, would only leave the Spanish team next season to play in the NBA.

Viktor Gaddefors could be the next European prospect to be signed by Virtus Bologna. The 17-year-old Swedish forward is in advanced talks to land in the Italian team. Gaddefors, who averaged 3.5 points and 1.2 rebounds per game last season for Uppsala Basket, was the MVP of the last Baltic Cup in Tallin.

As expected, Alex Righetti is close to become the first signing of Banca Tercas Teramo for the next season. The 32-year-old forward is a free agent since being released days ago by Virtus Bologna. On the other hand, the Italian team could soon lose Giuseppe Poeta. The 25-year-old guard, member of the Italian national team, is close to land in Gran Canaria 2014.

After the departure of Brad Newley to Lietuvos Rytas, another Australian player could land in Besiktas Cola Turka. The Turkish team could have reached to an agreement to sign A.J. Ogilvy, who arrives from the University of Vanderbilt. The 22-year-old center, member of the Australian national team, averaged 13.4 points and 6.2 rebounds per game for the Commodores in his junior year.

After the official departure of Terrell McIntyre to Unicaja, his former team, Montepaschi Siena, is looking for a new point guard. The list of candidates has another name. Omar Cook, who played for Unicaja during the last two years, won't return to the Spanish team after the signing of McIntyre, and is the new target of Montepaschi Siena. The 28-year-old American-Montenegrin guard averaged 8.9 points and 6.0 assists per game last season.

Armani Jeans Milano could be also in the mix to land Sarunas Jasikevicius. The 34-year-old Lihuanian guard, on the radar of Maccabi Tel Aviv, is in talks to extend his contract with Panathinaikos, but the Italian team could be also willing to land him for the next season. Jasikevicius averaged 8.0 points and 2.5 assists per game in the last Lega A.

Panchi Barrera could be the second point guard of Unicaja next season behind Terrell McIntyre. The 25-year-old Uruguayan guard already landed in the Spanish team to help in the trainings weeks ago, and now could become a member of the team. Last season, Barrera played for Unión Atlética, averaging 13.3 points and 6.9 assists per game.

Troubles involving Miroslav Raduljica. The current team of the 22-year-old Serbian forward, FMP Zeleznik, has decided to suspend Miroslav Raduljica due to his negotiaions with Efes Pilsen, which has already reached to an agreement with the player. Raduljica is under contract until 2013, and FMP doesn't want to let him go without an economic compensation.

CAI Zaragoza, recently promoted to the ACB league, has told Roberto Guerra to find a new team, despite having a two-year contract with the Spanish team. The 27-year-old guard, who averaged 1.4 points and 2.0 rebounds per game in the last LEB Oro, could be on the radar of Tenerife Canarias, also from the second Spanish division.

Politekhnika Halychyna continues being one of the mots active teams of the Ukrainian market. The team based in Lvov has signed Dmytro Khodov, who played last season for Khimik. The 23-year-old forward averaged 4.0 points and 2.0 rebounds in 11.7 minutes per game in the last Ukrainian Super League.

Finally, the winner of the race to take over Cibona was won by a dark horse. The Croatian club has finally decided to name Zdravko Radulovic as the new head coach of the team. The 43-year-old Croatian coach, former player of Cibona, has worked previously for KK Zagreb and Cedevita, his last team from 2007 to 2009.

Sutor Montegranaro is looking for a center for the next season. The two main targets of the Italian teams are Andrea Renzi and Sharrod Ford. The 20-year-old Italian center just played five games with Benetton Treviso last season due to a sesion-ending injury last October, while Sharrod Ford averaged 16.7 points and 9.8 rebounds for Carife ferrar in the last Lega A after landing in Italy from Spartak St. Petersburg on January.

Lorenzo D'Ercole didn't have much playing time last season in Montepaschi Siena. The 22-year-old guard averaged 1.5 points and 0.7 assists in just 4.2 minutes per game. The champion of the last Lega A has decided to loan D'Ercole, who will land in Vanoli Cremona for the next season. The official announcement could arrive soon.

As expected, the return of Argiris Pedoulakis to Peristeri is getting closer. The agreement between the Greek club and the 46-year-old coach could be announced soon. This would be the second stint of Pedoulakis, who started last season in charge of AEK Athens, to Peristeri, his former team.

Budivelnik is interested in the top scorer of the last Ukrainian Super League. The runner-up of the last league wants Steven Burtt for the next season. The 26-year-old American guard is a free agent after being released by his former team, Ferro-ZNTU, where he was playing since last January. Burtt averaged 22.4 points and 5.5 assists per game during his stint in Ferro-ZNTU.

Power Electronics Valencia is tracking the market for a new point guard after the official departure of Marko Marinovic, who will play for Alba Berlin. Besides the interest for Earl Calloway, Darius Washington and Doron Perkins, the Spanish team is also eyeing Denys Lukashov. The 21-year-old Ukrainian guard, who averaged 13.2 points, 5.5 rebounds and 4.9 assists per game for BC Kyiv last season, has attracted the interest of several European teams.

More players on the radar of Scavolini Pesaro. The Italian team is now interested in Tautvydas Lydeka, who has played during the last two seasons for Bennet Cantù. The 26-year-old Lithuanian center averaged 6.7 points and 4.8 rebounds in 18.4 minutes per game in the last Lega A.